More Mike Santiago

Biography

TRAINING: A typical day consists of getting to the gym at 7am, personal training clients till about 12-1. The first part of my day is always my strength and conditioning. I start off with 5-7 miles a day running followed up by strength and speed work, then I relax and eat. Then it’s usually pad work with Mac or fighter training with a couple guys. I mix it up throughout the week with wrestling/grappling, standup. I relax and eat a little, then night classes start at 530. It’s boxing till about 7 and I travel to my jiu-jitsu school for technique and live rolls. I go there 2 days a week for training and teach at Topnotch the other days. I get home about 9-10pm, cook up some dinner, pass out, wake up and do it all over again.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I started training right out of high school. I was a tough wrestler my whole life. I started watching UFC during high school and decided at a young age that that's what I wanted to do.

What ranks and titles have you held? I am a brown belt in jiu-jitsu, I hold the Ring of Combat featherweight title, and the Hoosier Fight Club (HFC) featherweight and lightweight titles.

Do you have any heroes? My heroes are my grandfather, my uncle Jimmy, my mother and my head trainer Mac Ramos.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? Fighting for the UFC means that these past 10 years haven't just been wasted and that all the hours and all the time I've put in have been all worth it.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? No

What was your job before you started fighting? I've literally had every type of job. I was a carnival worker on the weekends in HS, I've worked construction, in auto shops, flower delivery driver, meat delivery driver, UPS, Target, factory worker, physical therapist, personal trainer. Favorite grappling technique: Me and my team call it the Bully Choke (10 finger guillotine choke) Favorite Striking technique: Liver kick and body shots.